Method of forming egg cartons



Aug. 13, 1940. s. BERGSTEIN- METHOD OF FORMING EGG CARTONS Filed July19, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l ZTORNEYJ,

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METHOD OF FORMING EGG CARTONS Filed July 19, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. SAM/4 flags-s r//v.

ATTORNEYIS.

Patented Aug. 13, 1940 I I 2 g r 9 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OFFORMING EGG CARTONS Samuel Bcrgstein, Cincinnati, Ohio Application July19, 1938, Serial No. 220,068

6 Claims. (Cl. 93-49) This application is a continuation in part of myFigure 10 Shows the final p f folding, in pending application, SerialNo. 714,678 and covers which o t e Ca te s new ready for Shipment. themethod described in said former application F r 11 ill rates thefinished carton shown for making structures such as egg cartons. inFigure 10, in Squared up form- An object of my invention is to provide9. Referring first to Figure 1, the form of blank method of folding andgluing bl nk having indicated has a panel No. 1 which for the sakeplurality of projecting independent flaps. of convenience will bereferred to as the top panel.

An object of my invention is the provision of AS indicated in thedrawings, t s Pa is divided a method of forming a sealed, tubular cartonhavby transverse lines of weakening Without complete mg a tamper prooffeature. severance, preferably by a line of perforations,

An object of my invention is the provision of a into an intermediatePortion la d marginal rnethod of making a carton structure severablePortions Articulated to Panel l e e 9 into a plurality of operativecartons. mlity 0f Projecting p intermediate fl p 3 Another object of myinvention is to provide which is connected to the Portion la beingamethod of folding and gluing h bl k ferred to for convenience as thetuck-in flap,

wherein intermediate flaps are folded to underlie while the m r l flapsadj in n 3. n rti uan opposite outer panel,but are unsecured thereto.lated to the portions 2 d marked 4 wi A still further object of myinvention is to probe referred to for the sake of convenience as thevide a method of folding and gluing such blanks lue fial S- It W beconvenient to refer o 6 as in flat knocked-down form, while the blanksare the back P and as the bOttOm Panel, and

being moved along. to 5 as the front panel.

These and other objects of my invention will Referring a moment to thecompleted. be apparent from the following descriptions taken erectedcarton as illustrated in Figure wherein in connection with theaccompanying drawings, I w employ k numerals t those set forth whereinone preferred method of practicing the above as to the blank, thereasons for the deeiginvention is specifically set forth, the noveltyinnations given n e pa a ph ab l be herent in the invention being setforth in the readi y ap Referring o F u e 5. t e lue claims appended tothis specification, to which flaps 4, been secured to the front Panelreference ishereby made. The tuck-in flap 3 is in position behind frontIn the drawings: panel 5, but it is unsecured to the front panel. 3

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating part In this erect positionthe carton can be packed of the steps in forming the carton from theflat with contents y insertion t h e the end, blank. as for example, bysliding in a filler which has Figure 2 is a perspective view showing astep been loaded with eggs. And when it is desired in the folding of theblank illustrated in Figure 1. to remove the contents, the c r n can beOpened Figure 2a illustrates a step subsequent to Figure m t p y liftingupward 011 the e 2, adhesive having been applied to the under surdiatepa l portion la, severing the panel along face of the glue flaps. thelines of weakening therein. The tuck-in flap Figure 3 illustrates aperspective of this blank 3 being unsecured to the adjoining marginalflaps in a subsequent stage of folding. I, 4 will readily start to lift,and when the entire Figure 4 is a perspective illustrating the blank tdiat lid p t as e raised n p n after the final folding operation, inwhich form position, the carton will still retain its tubular the cartonis ready for shipment. form due to the marginal portions 2, 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective of the finished carton In order to accomplishthis, my preferred prostructure shown in Figure 4 upon being square up.cedure is to have the blanks move along mm the Figure 6 is a view ofanother form of blank flaps projecting transverse the direction ofmoconsisting of multiple units, illustrating part or tion without anyreference to timed relation. the steps in forming the carton from theblank. e first S ep in e folding 15 to divert the c Figure Us aperspective of the blank shown in in p from t Plane 01 the fl t ank,prefer-.- Figure 6 in its initialstage of folding. ably upward as i u ain u e There- Figure 8 shows the step Subsequent to Figure 7, after inthe course of further movement, the glue adhesive having been appliedunderneath the glue flaps can be coated on the under side by a conflaps.tinuously revolving glue wheel, as shown in Fig- Figure 9 is aperspective of this blank with ure 2a. Thereafter, the partially foldedposition subsequent folding operations. of the tuck-in flap may berelaxed, and the usual type folding device, such as twist belts or thelike, employed to fold over the top panel (as shown in Figure 3), thefinal stage thereafter being to fold the front panel over as shown inFigure 4. Since the top wall has merely been weakened but not completelysevered, the top wall and flaps fold as a unit, with no dislocation ofparts either in feeding or folding. The folded carton thereafter isconveyed to pressure devices, such as a series of rollers or a stackingconveyor where the cartons are lapped under pressure in offset relationto cause adhesion.

In Figure 1, I have illustrated one way of accomplishing the foregoingsteps automatically. Here the'carton blanks are fed along by suitableconveying elements indicated at El in the direction indicated by thearrow. Suitably mounted on the frame of the machine is a twist plate illhaving a narrow extension H which is spaced so as not to engage the glueflaps 4, l as the blank moves forward, but which projection does engagethe longer tuck-in flap 3, as illustrated. In conjunction with thistwist plate is an overhead spring finger l3, suitably positioned asindicated, which depresses the glue flaps l, 41 as the blank moves underit, which, as shown, does not depress the tuck-in flap 3, because theouter edge of the tuck-in flap 3 is supported by the extension ll of thetwist plate, as previously explained.

As a result the tuck-in flap rides on the twist plate, while the glueflaps travel underneath it, and the plate is twisted as indicated at l2to bring the tuck-in flap into upright position out of the plane of theglue flaps, so that as the blank further progresses in the samedirection of motion the extended glue flaps can receive a coating ofadhesive on their under surface from the continuous glue wheel I 3a,which lies in the path of the glue flaps. Thereafter, the twist platecan release the tuck-in flap, and the carton structure is ready forfolding as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 to bring it into its finalform.

In Figures 6 to 11, I have shown an alternate form of blank which isadaptable to my method, the finished carton in squared-up form beingshown in Figure 11. While manufactured as a single unit, the carton inuse can be broken along the line of fracture 20 into two distinct andindependent units.

Referring to the blank shown in Figure 6, it can be seen that there aretwo tuck-in flaps and three glue flaps, the middle glue flap beingadapted to be subsequently severed into two parts if the carton isbroken into two units by the user along the line of weakening 20, asexplained in the preceding paragraph. As in the previous example, theglue flaps are of shorter length than the tuck-in flap.

As illustrated, the blanks consist of a top panel designated by H acrosswhich there are transverse lines of weakening without severance dividingthis top panel into two lid portions Ha, Ma and adjoining marginalportions 15. The projecting independent flaps comprise two independenttuck-in flaps 2|, 2| articulated to Ila, a, and three glue flaps 22, 22,22 and there is also the back panel H, the bottom panel I9, and thefront panel l8. As illustrated the line of fracture 20 transverses theentire blank, and it can be seen that this line 20 divides the blankinto two component units, each unit of which is constructed in exactlythe same manner as the blank previously described in Figures 1 to 5.

And in forming the carton, the steps are the same as previouslydescribed in connection with the other blank previously referred to. Asillustrated in Figure 6, the spring finger it again serves to deflectthe glue flaps under the twist plate, the twist plate engaging thetuck-in flaps and in the course of further motion of the blank turningthe tuck-in flaps in upright position as shown in Figure 7. Again thisleaves the glue flaps projecting in the original plane of the blank, sothat in the course of further motion of the blank the continuouslyrevolving underneath glue wheel can apply adhesive to the under surfaceof these flaps as shown in Figure 8, whereupon the tuck-in flaps may bereleased and the carton folded as shown in Figure 9, and lastly as shownin Figure 10 thereafter conveyed under pressure to secure adhesion.

It can be seen that by my method I accomplish the gluing and folding ofblanks having a plurality of projecting flaps that certain selectiveflaps including the forward and rearward flaps in the direction (ifmotion of'the blank are adhered, while other flaps are left unsecured,but in folded condition underlying the front panel, and that Iaccomplish this by a rapid operation as the blanks are moved along,resulting in a carton in knocked-down form having the characteristicsdescribed.

The embodiment shown in my preferred method as it permits application ofadhesive to interi mittent flaps without the need of timed spacing ofthe blanks. It will be apparent that my procedure for forming cartons ofthis type can be carried out also on machines adapted to convey asucession of blanks in timed relation, in which 5 case a timed adhesivemechanism can be used to apply glue either to the upper surface of thefront panel on the portions corresponding to the glue flaps, or to theglue flaps themselves without the need of flap separation. It is alsoapparent that 4 variations can be made in the blank adaptable to mymethod, such as having the glue flaps articulatedto the front panelinstead of to the lid panel, asjt is immaterial which of the two outerpanels the glue flaps are articulated thereto, but 4 I prefer theparticular blank structures illustrated due to the fact that they aremore economical. All such modifications should be understood to beincluded in the scope of my invention, and

what I claim as new and novel, and desire to se- 5 cure by Letters.Patent is as follows:

1. A method of forming a closed tubular carton having when erected aseparate tuck in flap in position within the carton and attached only toa central panel divided from the top of the carton 5;

by partially severed lines, which consists in forming a blank having amain bottom panel, side panels, top panel and a flap articulated to thetop panel, forming incomplete lines of severance through the top panelportion to define sides 6 of a median portion forming complete lines ofseverance between the median portion of the flap and its ends, so as toleave glue tabs separated from the rest of the flap at both ends,folding the entire top panel with the articulated flap por- 5 tions overupon the remainder of the blank, and then folding'the still uncoveredside wall portion over upon the articulated flap portions, adhesivehaving been applied to those areas wherein said side wall engages theseparated glue tabs whereby 70 the median portion of the said flap willwhen the carton is erected, be detached from the glued portions, and inposition to be lifted up by completing the partial lines of severance ofthe median portion of the top panel, the adhesive be- 7 ing applied bythe step of separating the median portion of the flap from the terminaltabs, applying adhesive to the faces of said tabs, and then releasingthe median portion before folding over the top panel.

2. A process of making a glued, collapsible tubular carton having aninitially sealed top panel portion and adapted to be opened without de-.

stroying the carton, which comprises scoring a blank along longitudinalfold lines to form bottom, side and top walls and a sealing flap,perforating said blank along transverse lines to define panel portionsextending transversely of the top wall, completely severing said sealingflap along lines in continuation of said perforation lines, applyingglue to the blank in a manner to secure certain of said severed portionsof said sealing flap along one longitudinal edge of the blank to theother longitudinal edge of the blank, and folding said blank intotubular form along some only of said longitudinal fold lines.

3. A process of making a glued, knockdown tubular carton havinginitially sealed top panel portions and adapted to be opened withoutdestroying the carton, which comprises scoring a blank alonglongitudinal fold lines to form side, bottom and top walls and a sealingflap, perforating said blank along transverse lines to provide panelportions extending transversely of the top wall, said panel portionsbeing at least five in number, completely severing said sealing flapalong lines in continuation of said perforation lines, applying glue tothe blank in a manner to secure alternate ones of said severed portionsof said sealing flap including the end portions there-' of along onelongitudinal edge portion of the blank to the other edge portion of theblank, and folding said .blank into tubular form along some only of saidlongitudinal fold lines.

4. A process as set forth in claim 3 including the step of perforatingthe blank transversely through all walls with a line of perforationscentrally disposed of the blank, whereby the carton is separable intotwo complete operative units.

5. A process of making a glued, collapsible, tubular carton having aninitially sealed top panel portion and adapted to be opened withoutdestroying the carton, which comprises cutting,

.scoring and perforating a blank so as to provide bottom, side and topwalls articulated together,- incompletely severed panel portionsextending transversely of said top wall to provide a closure panel, andlaterally contiguous tube-maintaining panels, a tuckflap articulated tosaid closure panel and sealing flaps for said tube-maintaining panels,said flaps being free of each other, applying glue to the blank in sucha way, as to adhere said sealing flaps to a wall at the respective edgesof the blank, and folding said blank into tubular form along certainonly of said lines of articulation.

6. A process of making a glued, knockdown tubular carton which includescutting, scoring and perforating a blank to provide a bottom, side wallson each side of the bottom, a top articulated to one of the side walls,the perforating step providing lines of weakening in the top wall todivide it into at least one portion which may be used as a lid panel,and tube-maintaining portions at each side thereof, said lid panelhaving a tuck flap articulated thereto, there being sealing flaps forsaid tube-maintaining portions, said perforations being formed withoutcompletely severing said top wall whereby said top wall may be folded asa unit, applying glue to said blank in such a way as to cause adhesionof said sealing flaps to an opposite edge of said blank, and folding theblank into tubular form along some only of said lines of articulation,the flat, tubular blank thus formed being erectible without freeing saidlid panel, said carton thus being one in which lifting the lid panelbreaks the saidlines of perforation and provides an indication that thecarton has been opened.

SAMUEL BERGSTEIN.

